Meeli Kõiva aka Mery Ra Crystal was selected with her speech and solo exhibition  to participate at the UNESCO International Year Of Light closing ceremony / event February 3-6, 2016, Mexico.

3 artists invited by UNESCO International Year Of Light organising committee to make speeches at the International Year Of Light 2015 closing event, February 4-6, 2016, Merida, Mexico: Mery Crystal Ra (Europe), Marcus Neuestetter (South Africa), Tania Aedo (Mexico).

Mery Crystal Ra introduced her radical artist`s practice, talked about her unique international light-glass projects and presented her innovative glass paintings, glass-light sculptures and videos. Her speech was titled: ” TWISTED LIGHT, SCRATCHED GLASS AND INFINITE LUMINOSITY: WELCOME TO MY UNIVERSE.” The invisible meets the visible. The light that was invisible is now visible. Has the light been transformed by its passage through the glass? Twisted Light and Scratched Glass: Art at the Intersection of Absurdity and Hope. Unknown spaces – powered via light. Working with glass opens creative windows into amazing spaces of light and colour. Interior as a fun playground communicating art through synergy of light, glass, video, digital printings and luminescent inspiration. The interaction of light and glass becomes a meditation. Sometime the leap from physical science to artistic creativity comes quickly, and sometimes it happens slowly.

Awesome power of glass and luminescence. Future of the mankind: humans versus robots. Unknown spaces – powered via glass. Working with glass opens creative windows into amazing spaces and light color. Interior as a fun playground communicating art through synergy/energy of light, glass, video, digital printings and luminescent inspiration. Changing art communication. Active creative reshaping process of the space via light and glass to get an integral surface for new and surreal unexpected action and positive transformation. The awesome power and fragility of glass: a relevant metaphor and guiding principle for artists, citizens and nations”.

The International Year of Light has been a great success, over 5000 activities, involving millions of people in more than 120 countries worldwide. The last twelve months has seen academic and industry organizations joining forces toraise awareness of the many ways in which light, optics and photonics impact our lives in areas such as energy, education, climate-change, and health.

The sheer diversity of events that have taken place has been truly remarkable. The opening ceremony in Paris in January 2015 set the scene, and throughout the year we have seen a huge range of activities including: education and outreach for students and the public; specialist workshops in science and industry; forums on the historical development of science; conferences on sustainable development; public light festivals and displays; works of art, music and literature. Events have been targeted at all levels – from preschool children learning science for the first time, to politicians, diplomats and even royalty convening high-level meetings on the importance of technology for the future.

Discussions are now underway to ensure that the resources and partnerships established over the last two years will continue. We shall hear in the coming days at the Closing Ceremony of many of the success stories of the International Year of Light, and the speakers and topics have been chosen so that we can consider together how best to build on the results of 2015 to create a legacy that can truly transform our society.

INTERACTIVE LIGHT-GLASS-LIGHT EXHIBITION -MEDITATION: “LIGHT FOR THE PEACE” by MERY CRYSTAL RA.

International Year Of Light closing ceremony / event Merida, Mexico, February 3-6 th, 2016.Cultural centre EL OLIMPO, “Light For The Peace”. International Year Of Light organizing committee selected via international competition 15 artists to make their solo exhibitions at the International Year Of Light Closing event/ ceremony Merida, Mexico, February 3-6, 2016. Meeli Kõiva aka Mery Crystal Ra is one of the few artists in the world who has skillfully clued together the handwriting of the artist with the most modern unique innovative glass, lighting and video technologies.

Meeli Koiva (Mery Crystal Ra) is a globally renowned light-glass artist and innovator. She’s one of the winners of the 2013 and 2014 Light In the City / Northern Light, European light artists competition. She has been an innovator and a visionary in the field of light / glass art for the last 30 years. A pioneer in combining glass and light to create extraordinary works of art, she creates highly imaginative and novel pieces in Europe and in the US for private residences and public buildings. Even before the Light art boom of the last 30 years she was a trailblazer and source of influence in light art, reshaping the space and surface of structures. She has created glass-light sculptures for the European Parliament main building exhibition in Brussels, Belgium (2006) and Glaston Corporation headquarters in Finland, Tampere (2012), interactive glass-light meditation exhibition at the International Year Of Light 2015 closing event in Mexcio, February 2016. She is a speaker / keynote speaker, having made presentations at the universities, seminars and conferences. She is creative director at Crystal Energy Ltd. in Helsinki, NYC, San Francisco.

International Year Of Light closing ceremony Pogramme: